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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Boring Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Scientific Name Abies magnifica Trade Name California red fir Family Name Pinaceae Common Names California red fir, Fir, Golden fir, Red fir, Shasta fir, Shasta red fir, Silvertip, Western fir, White fir Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] United States Common Uses Beams, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Cabin construction, Casks, Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Decorative plywood, Dressed boards, Factory construction, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Heavy construction, Joists, Light construction, Lumber, Packing cases, Plywood, Porch columns, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Rough boards/dimension stock, Rough construction, Structural plywood, Utility plywood Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Questionable Widespread May be rare in some parts of its range, particularly at the periphery Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Rank of relative endangerment based primarily on the number of occurrences of the species globally Distribution Overview In the U.S. and Canada, Subalpine Fir grows naturally in mountains from central Yukon and the eastern parts of southeast Alaska south through Alberta and British Columbia. Also, from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana south to central Colorado southern New Mexico and southeast Arizona. Locally, it can be found in northeast Nevada and northwest California. Heartwood Color Brown White Yellow Purple Red Whitish Same as sapwood Light buff to yellowish brown Light brown The latewood portion of the growth ring is usually tinged with a lavender, roseate, or a reddish brown color Sapwood Color Red Brown Yellow White Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Even Straight Straight Even Texture Coarse Medium Medium coarse to coarse Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Very little resistance to decay No natural resistance Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste May have a slightly disagreeable smell when green Kiln Schedules 12 - B5 (4/4);T12 - B4 (8/4) U.S Drying Defects Uneven Moisture Content Ring Shakes Splitting Wetwood Uneven moisture content Shakes Expect splits Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Easy Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Boring Fair to good results Good results Gluing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Excellent gluing properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Good mortising properties Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good moulding properties Nailing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Holds nails well Good resistance to splitting while nailing Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good planing properties Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Difficult to treat with preservatives Screwing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very good screw holding qualities Excellent screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results Good results Strength Properties Surfaces may dent or scratch easily Soft Max. crushing strength = low Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 5684 10241 psi Crushing Strength 323 598 psi Hardness 490 lbs Impact Strength 21 24 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 2705 5356 psi Shearing Strength 1019 psi Stiffness 1147 1465 1000 psi Toughness 142 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 6 9 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.29 0.26 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 399 720 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 22 42 kg/cm2 Hardness 222 kg Impact Strength 53 60 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 190 376 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 71 kg/cm2 Stiffness 80 103 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 163 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.42 0.63 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.29 0.26 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Western Wood Products Association. 19__. Softwoods of the Western USA. Published and Distributed by the Western Wood Products Association, Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.